Hide and Seek for Love (12 page)

“Everyone was far too frightened to suggest that for anyone so grand!  I think you forget how important you are now and there is no one to tell you but Nanny and me.”

David laughed loudly.

“I don't feel at all important at present, but I am perfectly prepared, once I find all those millions, to be very overbearing and autocratic!”

Benina shook her head.

“I don't believe you could ever be like that.  Nanny says you are the kindest man she has ever met and what she calls ‘a real gentleman'.”

“Now that
is
praise.  The whole trouble in the world today is that there are not enough nannies to teach all the men to be the gentlemen they should be.”

He was pondering that no gentleman would have behaved like his grandfather unless he really was mad and did not know what he was doing.

All through the history of the family there had been Inglestones who had become distinguished Generals and Statesmen.

It was only his grandfather who in his dotage had behaved in such a lunatic fashion.

If they were lucky enough to find what they were seeking, he would have to make the family name as famous and as respected as it had been in the past.

Everyone was tired after a delicious dinner and, as they left the dining room where Newman had arranged dinner for the first time, David announced,

“I am now retiring to bed.”

“I have received strict instructions from Nanny that is what I am to do too.  I only wish before we go, we could celebrate having found the treasure.”

“There are still some rooms we have not looked at on the first floor, but I am not very optimistic.”

Benina gave a deep sigh.

“I feel the same, my Lord.”

“If we could only get some form of guidance to tell us where to look.  If some of the money was in notes, he would not have hidden it in the garden, so it must be in the house somewhere.”

He was thinking as he spoke that the house was as large as an Army barracks and it could take months, if not years, to search it from top to bottom.

“I will pray very hard before I go to sleep tonight,” suggested Benina, “but I do think we have done something wrong that we ought to put right first.”

“What can that be?”

“We have not yet looked in the Chapel, my Lord.  When I first saw it, it looked very unused and empty.”

She glanced round at David a little nervously as if she thought he might resent what she was saying.

Then she continued,

“I think because what we have to find will help not only ourselves but so many others, we should have prayed in the Chapel and perhaps made an offering, as people in ancient times used to do before they went into battle.”

“I know what you are saying, Benina, and I am sure you are right.  I have never been particularly religious in the fullest sense of the word, but when I was in desperate danger in India and it seemed absolutely impossible for me to come out alive, I prayed to God.”

“Of course you did, as we all do – ”

Benina paused for a moment before she added,

“Mama and I both prayed very hard that we would be able to stay here at Ingle Hall after we had first arrived and your grandfather had shouted at us to go away.”

“I just cannot imagine how he could have been so unpleasant,” David responded almost beneath his breath.

“I prayed despairingly, my Lord, for Mama's sake that we would be allowed to stay, and finally, although it was so very difficult,
we did
.”

Her voice rose as she went on,

“And now because you have come and everything is very different, I think that I must give a thank-offering, and you must say a special prayer that God will send his angel to show us where the money is hidden.”

David thought this a rather touching idea.

“Yes, of course we will.  So let's go and look at the Chapel now and see what we can do with it.”

They walked down the long corridor on the ground floor, which led towards the billiard room and just before they reached it there was a turning that led down a narrow passage to the Chapel.

It was very old and Benina had read that it had been built at the same time as the main part of Ingle Hall.

As it was not yet dark, David thought it unnecessary for them to take a candle or a lantern with them.

They opened the door that felt stiff and unused.

The last rays of the evening sun were still shining through the stained-glass windows.

There were several cracks in the windows, but they did not detract in the slightest way from the beauty of the Chapel, which was perfectly proportioned.

With its oak carved pews and marble altar, it was outstandingly beautiful.

Needless to say the floor and the pews were thick with dust and yet, although it was so neglected, it still had, Benina thought, an atmosphere of Holiness about it.

The gold cross on the altar seemed to shine through the dust and the six candlesticks needed polishing yet they were all in place.

For a moment David and Benina just stood in the doorway.

Then, as they moved a little further into the Chapel, Benina knelt down on a
prie-dieu
directly in front of the altar.

For a moment David hesitated before joining her.

He prayed, as he had prayed at his father's funeral, that he would be as happy and successful in his life as his father had been in his.

He had not taken his place as a titled Englishman as had been expected of him, but had travelled over the world making friends in every country he visited, leaving people happier because they had met him – and at the same time developing himself into a gentleman who could honestly state that he had lived his life to the full.

‘That is what I want,' David thought to himself.

Yet he knew that, since he had become the Marquis of Inglestone, he bore far greater responsibilities than his father ever had.

He had to do something for the people who relied on the estate and the family of which he was now the Head.

If nothing else, he must set a good example to those who would come after him.

He felt that his prayer was now finished and then he glanced round at Benina.

She had closed her eyes, but she had not bent her head – in fact she had thrown it back a little, as if she was looking up into the sky, where she believed that God was listening to her, with her hands pressed together in the age-old attitude of prayer.

It suddenly struck David that he had never seen a woman look more beautiful when she was praying.

For that matter he had not seen any woman praying as Benina was praying now.

It had been compulsory in India for the Officers on duty to attend Church Parade on Sunday in Calcutta, Simla or anywhere else they were stationed.

It was a most formal occasion and the women were dressed up in their best and there was always a flutter of elegant hats trimmed with flowers, feathers and veils.

Benina's fair hair after her swim was slightly damp and hanging down her back.

Her lovely face, David considered, was the face of an innocent and a very lovely angel and nothing could be more perfect for her than the background of the Chapel.

As he stood looking down at her, Benina became conscious of his stare.

Opening her eyes, she rose from the
prie-dieu
and, just as a child might have done, she slipped her hand into David's.

They walked out of the Chapel together and when he had closed the heavy door behind him, David said,

“You are quite right, we will have the place cleaned and tidied as soon as possible.  Then we will ask the Vicar to visit us and say a special prayer and bless the Chapel as it must have been blessed when it was first consecrated.”

Benina's fingers tightened on his.

“I just knew you would understand.  When we find the hidden coins, you must place the first ones on the altar and then they will be dedicated to God because he has helped us.”

“We will certainly do so and a great deal more, but we have to find the coins first and the rest of the money.”

He considered that it would really be a much harder job than he had anticipated – in fact he was beginning to be afraid they were going the wrong way about their quest.

Yet he could not think of another way.

He had not spoken, but because Benina knew what he was thinking, she suggested,

“You must not feel depressed or worried, my Lord.  Now that we have prayed, I am quite, quite certain that because you want the money for the village, the estate and your family as well as for yourself, we
will
find it!”

“I hope you are right, Benina.  I felt so optimistic this morning, after what Newman had said, that we would find it in my grandfather's bedroom.  We searched every drawer and cupboard thoroughly.”

“Maybe he was anxious not to make it too obvious, as his bedroom would be the place for a burglar to go.”

“I suppose you are right.  Of course we have a great many more rooms to search and I am sure Newman turned out the study while we were upstairs.”

“He is such a nice man,” sighed Benina, “and so happy to be back here again.”

She looked up at David and smiled.

“You see you are making everyone very happy, my Lord.  Nanny said this morning that it's just like old times to be working with a gentleman again.”

David laughed.

“That is the highest compliment I can be paid!”

“Of course it is, my Lord.  Nanny has always said ‘a lady does not do it in that way', or ‘he behaves like a real gentleman.'  And that in her estimation is
you
.”

“I only hope I can live up to it!”

Benina took her hand from his.

“Now we must retire, as we are both exhausted.”

“I know.”

They walked slowly upstairs side by side.

As David was undressing, he wondered if perhaps his grandfather was watching him from wherever he might be and as he saw his reflection in the mirror, he wondered if he had any resemblance to him.

‘At least we are of the same blood,' he mused, ‘and he should help rather than hinder me in finding what I am seeking.  After all, he has not been able to take it with him and it is no use to him now in whatever world he is in.'

Then he told himself his grandfather was unlikely to be thinking in such a strange way.

But everything had been very strange since he had gone to Government House expecting to be congratulated on what he had achieved at Fort Tibbee.

Instead his own world had been turned topsy-turvy and he had left for England that very night.

He had a sudden longing for India and the men with whom he had served as a soldier.

He still yearned for the thrills, excitement and danger of
The
Great Game
.

And then he told himself he was being very selfish.

All he should be concerned with was the extremely important position he now held if only he could afford to maintain it.

‘
If
' was the operative word.

Everything now depended on finding the money his grandfather had hidden.

He thought it slightly odd that he had gone to the Chapel with Benina to pray that they might find anything so unholy as
money
.

Yet that money, if he did find it, could help a great number of people and provide the employment that was so urgently needed by many loyal workers, besides enabling him to take on the duties and responsibilities that were part and parcel of the title he now owned.

He could see the whole story unfolding in front of him almost as if out of a picture and yet nothing could be put into operation without money.

Money had suddenly overnight become something so much more important in his life than it had ever been before.

His father had done what he wanted to do and never worried about money, yet on his death the burden of being without any had fallen on him.

‘So far,' he told himself sharply, ‘I have not been very successful.'

As he finished his undressing, he gazed at the great four-poster bed where his grandfather had slept and died.

He felt almost as if he was still there and he wanted to shout at him for help and to tell him, as if he was alive, that he could not continue allowing Ingle Hall and all his people to suffer.

‘Wherever you are,' David muttered silently, ‘you must have the sense to appreciate that something must be done.  Someone has to put straight the mess you have created and that unfortunately is me.'

“Tell me, Grandpapa,” he called out aloud, “where you have hidden it!  For once be kind and decent and tell me the truth for God's sake!”

His voice seemed to echo round the room and come back to him.

A little ashamed of himself David climbed into bed.

*

Much of the next morning they spent having a very enjoyable but quiet ride, not wishing to overtax the horses.

After an early luncheon they resumed their search of the rooms on the first floor, but again without success.

After going to his bedroom to tidy himself for tea, David was walking downstairs when he heard a carriage draw up outside the front door they had left ajar.

He could see a large elegant carriage drawn by two black horses with two servants on the box that had come to a standstill.

He wondered who on earth it could possibly be and supposed it must be callers, the last thing he needed at this particular moment.

He hurried down the stairs and almost ran along the corridor to the study.

He opened the door to find that Benina was already there having changed into a pretty red dress and was sitting beside the tea table.

She looked up as he entered.

“You have taken such a long time, my Lord, and I am eating the chocolate cake that Nanny has made for us.  If you don't hurry there will be nothing left!”

“I think we have a visitor, Benina.”

“Oh no!  We don't want one yet, do we?”